Mike
Ciotola, railroad grade separation program manager for the Ohio
Department of Transportation, announced today that communities seeking
help eliminating sites where rail and vehicles traffic crosses have
two months through December 18 to apply for state funding.

In addition, they can be gotten at ODOT district offices or by
calling Ciotola at (614) 466-1267.

The program an initiative of Gov. Bob Taft was announced in
February 2000 to provide rail grade separations for areas most affected
by the increased rail traffic caused by the acquisition of Conrail by
the Norfolk and Southern Railway Co. and CSX Transportation, Inc. The
$200 million program is to last 10 years. The state is to provide 60
percent of the funding, with railroad and local community contributions.

Ciotola said, "Although we will be accepting applications again
this year from October 18 through December 18, we have a limited ability
to bring any new projects into the program. We will collect information
and evaluate applications, but we will withhold any decisions until late
spring or early summer of 2002, pending the results of ongoing
feasibility studies."

Decisions on funding are made by a four-member subcommittee of the
TRAC.